PA
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Loan-vs-Salary Calculator
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What does this degree
actually cost you?

A descriptive math calculator for prospective PA, DPT, CRNA, OT, SLP, and other allied-health applicants. Models the federal loan cap, private-loan gap, monthly payment, and salary ratio under your numbers. Surfaces every assumption. Cites every default. Gives you the math, not advice.

Why we built this · 2026

The U.S. Department of Education's RISE Committee rule, taking effect July 1, 2026, reclassifies PA, DPT, CRNA / DNP-NA, NP, OT, SLP, and audiology from "professional" to "graduate" student. Federal loan caps drop from $50,000/year ($200,000 lifetime) to $20,500/year ($100,000 lifetime). New borrowers starting on or after July 1, 2026 face the new caps. Current students grandfathered for up to 3 years. This calculator models both regimes side by side so you can see what changes.

1. Pick your profession
2. Edit the numbers
Tuition, fees, living costs over the full program. Default uses median published program data - verify against your specific program.
$
Years from matriculation to graduation. Default is the standard program length.
yrs
Undergraduate loans + any prior graduate debt you carry into this program.
$
Pre-tax annual salary in your first post-grad role. Default uses BLS median for the profession - verify against your geography and specialty.
$
Auto-set to your profession's status under the July 2026 DOE rule. Toggle to compare both regimes.
2025-26 Direct Unsubsidized / Grad PLUS rate. Updated annually by the Federal Student Aid office; verify at studentaid.gov.
%
Typical fixed-rate private graduate loan range is 6–13% depending on credit. Use a realistic estimate for your situation.
%
10-year is the standard plan. Income-driven and 25-year extended options exist; this calculator shows the standard plan for an apples-to-apples comparison.
yrs

Once you've run the math, here's where most applicants go next

If your calculator output shows a private-loan gap (almost every 2026-onward PA applicant has one), the natural next question is which lenders to look at and what to compare. We wrote a separate piece walking through how to think about the private-loan decision, what to look for in a lender, and the three companies most PA applicants are choosing between right now.

Read: Private Student Loans for PA School - The New Necessity (2026 Edition)

What this tool does and doesn't do

This is descriptive math, not financial advice. The output is what your numbers produce when run through the standard amortization formula and the federal loan cap structure. It is not a recommendation to apply, not a recommendation to avoid applying, and not a forecast of your individual outcome.

Defaults are starting estimates, not your situation. Every default value (tuition, salary, rates, length) is sourced and editable. Verify against your specific program, your geography, and your credit profile before drawing conclusions.

The DOE rule is real and effective July 1, 2026. Source: APTA, AANA, NASFAA, and Department of Education RISE Committee final regulations. Current students enrolled before that date are grandfathered for up to three academic years. New borrowers starting after that date face the new caps. Verify your specific status with your financial aid office.

Tax, IDR plans, PSLF, and forgiveness are not modeled here. Standard 10-year amortization with the rate you enter. Income-Driven Repayment, Public Service Loan Forgiveness, and other programs may change your actual cost - consult a credentialed financial advisor or your school's financial aid office for full modeling.

No outcome guarantees. This tool does not predict whether you will be admitted, employed, or able to repay loans. It models the math of one repayment scenario based on inputs you control.

Sources